Jonathan Carter struck an enterprising hundred as West Indies ‘A’ condemned India ‘A’ to a comprehensive 55-run defeat in the second one-day match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Tuesday.
Carter made 133 (132b, 18x4, 3x6) as the visitors, aided by some patchy fielding, ran up a score of 279. In reply, India ‘A’ folded up for 224, fast bowler Miguel Cummins taking four for 31 in a chase that never really got off the ground.
Captain Yuvraj Singh made a patient 40 which kept the home side’s hopes alive briefly, even as the required rate rose. But left-arm spinner Nikita Miller removed Yuvraj and Yusuf Pathan in the space of two balls, and set the West Indians on course to levelling the series.
Carter’s century in the morning was remarkable for his ball-striking, but the batsman profited from an early reprieve. Shahbaz Nadeem had induced an edge when he was on six, only for Yusuf to grass a simple chance at first slip.
In the event, Carter steadily grew in confidence, pulling and sweeping with increasing force.
The all-rounder hitherto had only one hundred against his name in all cricket, but he tore into the India ‘A’ bowlers here, swinging freely and often.
A mighty six off Sumit Narwal took Carter to 99; an immediate single had him leaping up and punching the air in joy.
Carter and Leon Johnson, both of whom had been left out of the opening game, added 131 runs (109b) for the fifth wicket. India ‘A’ was left counting its losses.
The third and final match of the one-day series will be played here on Thursday, before the one-off T20 match on Saturday.
The scores:
West Indies ‘A’: Andre Fletcher c Ojha b Vinay 15 (32b, 3x4), Kieran Powell c Ojha b Vinay 4 (10b), Kirk Edwards st Ojha b Yusuf 36 (58b, 4x4, 1x6), Jonathan Carter lbw b Unadkat 133 (132b, 18x4, 3x6), Andre Russell c Narwal b Pathan 12 (4b, 2x6), Leon Johnson c Chand b Vinay 39 (46b, 3x4, 1x6), Devon Thomas (not out) 13 (11b, 2x4), Ashley Nurse (not out) 12 (7b, 2x4); Extras (lb-8, w-7): 15; Total (for six wickets in 50 overs): 279.
Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Powell), 2-21 (Fletcher), 3-100 (Edwards), 4-112 (Russell), 5-243 (Johnson), 6-260 (Carter).
India ‘A’ bowling: Unadkat 10-1-57-1, Narwal 10-2-52-0, Vinay 10-1-56-3, Nadeem 10-0-38-0, Yusuf Pathan 9-0-61-2, Mandeep 1-0-7-0.
India A: Robin Uthappa b Carter 10 (12b, 1x4), Unmukt Chand c Fletcher b Nurse 38 (72b, 3x4, 1x6), Mandeep Singh c Thomas b Cummins 3 (3b), Yuvraj Singh c Powell b Miller 40 (58b, 3x4, 1x6), Kedar Jadhav c Thomas b Cummins 35 (38b, 5x4), Yusuf Pathan c Nurse b Miller 0 (1b), Naman Ojha b Cummins 34 (48b, 3x4, 1x6), Sumit Narwal c Thomas b Russell 18 (21b, 1x6), Vinay Kumar b Cummins 1 (5b), Shahbaz Nadeem (not out) 21 (16b, 3x4), Jaydev Unadkat c Permaul b Carter 15 (20b, 1x6); Extras (lb-1, w-6, nb-2): 9; Total (in 48.4 overs): 224.
Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Uthappa), 2-18 (Mandeep), 3-82 (Chand), 4-114 (Yuvraj), 5-114 (Yusuf), 6-148 (Jadhav), 7-177 (Ojha), 8-187 (Vinay), 9-187 (Narwal).
West Indies ‘A’ bowling: Cummins 10-0-31-4, Russell 10-0-56-1, Carter 6.4-0-33-2, Nurse 8-0-32-1, Permaul 5-0-25-0, Miller 9-1-46-2.
